Millions of Americans should prepare for an Arctic blast that will blanket much of the country in below-freezing temperatures over the next several days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frigid conditions are expected over a large swath of the contiguous U.S. in the aftermath of a powerful cold front moving through the East Coast on Wednesday, forecasts show.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the rain and wind has subsided, the icy conditions will extend east and south from the upper Midwest — reaching as far as Texas and Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cold air moving over the Great Lakes while they are still ice-free is expected to generate a lake effect snow event.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Weather Service has issued a lake effect snow warning for portions of northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York, where locally 2 feet to 3 feet of snow is possible, forecasts show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A winter storm warning has also been issued across portions of Wisconsin and Michigan, where locally 1 foot to 2 feet of lake-effect snow is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chilly temperatures got an early start in the upper Midwest. On Wednesday morning, wind chills dipped to as low as -38 degrees in eastern North Dakota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The arctic air mass will then move east and south, bringing the coldest air of the season from Texas to New York. A frost advisory has even been issued for parts of northern Florida, including Gainesville.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The frigid temperatures are expected to last through Friday and evening Saturday morning in some regions, including Minneapolis, Chicago, New York City and Atlanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cold will begin to ease this weekend, first across the center of the country, then reaching the East Coast by Sunday and Monday.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Above average temperatures are favored across much of the country next week, according to the latest forecast from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n